False killer whale rushed to rescue center after beaching on northeast coast

Marine conservationists are working in shifts in an attempt to keep a dolphin alive after it was found stranded on a beach at Su’ao in Yilan County, yesterday, November 17.

The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), which is actually a species of oceanic dolphin, was reported stranded at around noon. Coast Guard officers and a veterinarian went to the scene to evaluate the dolphin’s condition and provide assistance. After examining the animal the coast guard and volunteers from the Taiwan Cetacean Society rushed the dolphin to the Badouzi Rescue Station at Badouzi Fishing Port in Keelung City.

The Taiwan Cetacean Society described the individual as a juvenile female with a body length of 320 centimeters, and an estimated weight of between 300 and 400 kilograms. An adult false killer whale has a mature body size four to six meters with a weight of up to 2,200 kilograms. TCS said that the animal was weak and underweight, but had no obvious signs of trauma.

TCS said that strandings of false killer whales are rare, and it is even rarer to find one alive. Volunteers worked through the night to take care of the dolphin.

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